Title—Science & Politics — politics in the sense that governments and Parliaments have to make decisions on priorities i.e. how much to research & various technologies — not in sense of party political so long as we have a free society. Sci & Arts—have in common need for creative inspiration and that no government can provide.
Now—so many scientific advances also need cash on massive scale, so large that no one country can provide it.
Nuclear Physics.
JET—Thermo-nuclear fusion [end p1] p2
But if too much goes to those projects many smaller ones will suffer.
Kind of decisions
£3,000m spent on Sc. & Tech. half spent privately.
Of government half
Largest share—Min of Defence
Trade & Industry A.E.A.
National Physical Laboratory
Sc Research Budget—S.R.C.
A.R.C.
M.D.C.
E.R.C.
SocSc.R.R.
+Universities
+Each department
p3
Most of Parliamentary control done through Select Committees
(1) Fundamental research
Rutherford's work
“Cast your bread upon the waters”
Search for the unknown
Challenge to achieve the hitherto unattainable [end p2]
Research labs.
Capacity for research going.
(2) Training of people to do it here.
Mathematics.
— engineers
(3) Applications—Current problems.
— Medicine. [?Agr.] En.
But sc. can't solve all problems p4
(4) Used to be a theory that if you can formulate a problem—you can solve it.
Even if this could be done in theoretical terms—has to be turned to practical advantage.
Drugs
Lead in petrol
Fuel cells.
Oceanography & Design of Oil rigs
Have been able to turn things to Commercial advantage.
We have not been best at it.
N.R.D.C.
Insufficient recognition at all levels of society that the source of national wealth is the creative productive industries of this country. [end p3] p5
(5) Change Popl of world
Intensive farming to feed itself
Prosperous industrial society
Shortage of [?] [? food].
(6) Decisions for future.
Energy
Enquiry on Fast Breeder Reactor → Enquiry.
Defence → Agriculture
Energy
Capital
Agriculture → p6
(7) Don't expect everything from science & research.
Life isn't just [? heat], fuel, transport, housing, refridgerators, [? transistors].
it is human contact & understanding
Our ultimate problems are man-made and will only be solved by man.